An intoxicated 44-year-old Santa Fe driver struck and seriously injured a San Felipe Pueblo man late Sunday night on the city's south side, police said Monday.

Annette Lopez — who pleaded guilty to aggravated drunken driving in 2000 — fled the scene and was later arrested at a residence in the 800 block of Calle Anaya, Deputy Police Chief Benjie Montaño said. Lopez's speech was slurred, he said, and she smelled of alcohol and appeared to be under the influence.

Meanwhile, the man she hit — 37-year-old Ruben Sanchez — was in critical condition Monday at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, according to a hospital spokeswoman. Police said Sanchez suffered multiple fractures to his back as well as other injuries.

The incident occurred about 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of St. Francis Drive and Sawmill Road. Sanchez began walking across St. Francis in a crosswalk when the light was green, though it changed before he reached the opposite side, Montaño said. Lopez was driving northbound on St. Francis in a Toyota pickup, slowed down for the light, then sped up when it changed and hit Sanchez, Montaño said.

Her breath-alcohol content was not available, though doctors took blood from her at the hospital after a state District Court judge signed a search warrant, Montaño said.

Lopez was charged with causing great bodily injury by motor vehicle and causing an accident involving death or personal injury.

In April 2000, she pleaded guilty to aggravated DWI, driving with a suspended or revoked license, speeding and driving with no insurance, according to online court records.

The incident came less than a week after the sentencing of Christopher Lavone of Santa Fe for striking and killing a 52-year-old pedestrian in a crosswalk at the other end of St. Francis Drive in March 2007. Lavone, 37, hit Sarah Williams as she tried to cross the six-lane road at Camino de las Crucitas, then fled the scene.

Lavone's blood-alcohol content was measured at .10 — above the legal driving limit of .08 — more than two and a half hours after the accident. He pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and faced up to six years in prison.

State District Judge Stephen Pfeffer sentenced Lavone to 4 1/2 years in prison and ruled that it was a serious violent crime because Lavone left Williams lying in the road where she could have been hit again. That ruling meant Lavone will have to serve a minimum of 85 percent of the sentence.

Contact Jason Auslander at 986-3076 or :jauslander@sfnewmexican.com.